Apparatus for separating gold from sand



March l2, 1929. G, KETTLE 1,704,746

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING GOLD FROM SAND I* Filed Jan. 5, 1928 @www Til

Patented Mar. l2, 1929,

ears stars enoaefn Kazerne, or nnivvnnoononano.

ArPARArrns non SEPARATING GoLD'Fnoir-sann. i

Application-flied Januarys, 192s. seriai ivo. 244,086.

-has been found practically impossible to sc parate thisgold from the .sand and gravel by ordinary means.

l am aware that many attempts have Abeen made to produce special apparatus for the recovery of flour gold. But so far as l am aware, no apparatus of this nature has been found completely satisfactory.

It is the object of this invention to pro-r duce a simple apparatus by means of which flour gold can be recovered from sand and gravel, andv which shall be of a lsimple and substantial construction, which can be manufactured without excessive cost.

This invention briefly described consists in a mechanical sluicc box whose bottom is covered withA coarse rough tree barkv and which is also provided with a plurality of rolls arranged 'in parallel relation throughout the length of the box. These rolls have their outer surfaces covered' with rough coarse tree bark in the same manner as the bottom of the sluice box. Means is also provided for rotating the rollers. The sand containing the flour gold after first having been passed through a screening device, and then over a. concentrating table, is deposited. in one end of the sluice box mixed with water. The water and sand together with the gold contained therein, is then caused to pass from one end of the sluice box to thev other and to he agitated by means of the rotating rollers. The line gold is found to adhere to the pieces of bark and after the apparatus has been in operation for some time,

the bark is removed and subject-ed to a treat ment for the recovery of the gold. The sluice box and the rolls are then covered with new bark yand the machine isV ready for anotherV Having thus briefly described the invention, l will now proceed to describe the same.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view 'showing an forms a part used, it 'preferably fori assembly of which my improved sluice box Figi 2 is a top plan view of a portion of the sluice b ox with parts broken away so as to better disclose the construction;

Fig. 3 is a section taken online SBV-3, Fig. f.

2 and Fig. 4L is a section taken on line -v-l,

Fig. 3.

h lnthe drawing numeral l-represents my improved sluice box as a whole. This box has a bottom 2, sides 3, 3 and end members 4 and 5. The interiorof the box is preferably provided with 1a rmetal lining 6. The

`end 5 is provided with a notch, through `which the water escapes during the operation of the device. Aplurality of translV `verse members `8 extend across the lower are engaged by worms 13 on the shaft 14. i

Shaft 14 is journalledin bearings 15 and is provided at one end. with a pulley 16 to v which poweris transmitted fromthevmotor' 17 by meansofa belt 18. When the motor operates, the rolls are rotated in a clockwise direction (F 159,21). ASecured to the bottom` of the sluice box are narrowv sections 19 of' i coarse bark, such, for example as the. from oak .or chestnut trees,or in fact any tree bark having a rough outer surface.V These( bark sections are spaced a short dis-- tance apart andare placed with their rough surface uppermost. Similar bark sections 20 are secured to the outside ofthe rollers with i their rough surfaces to the outside in the manner shown quite clearly in Fig.

l/Vhen my improved 'sluicebox is to be l.

vone element of an assembly such as that illustrated in Fig. 1.: In this assembly numeral 21 represents a hopper that is supported on suitable supports 22. A spout 23 extends from thebottom of the hopper into the upper end of a rotary screen 24. Located underneath this screen is a trough 25 which terminates in a spout 26. A trough 27 hasone end projecting under the open lower end vof the yrotary screen and serves to catch and carry away the coarser parts of the material.. The

`fine sand containing the gold passes through Y ber 28 of the concentrating table 29, Table 29 may be any one of the ordinary concentrating tables and has been shown as connected by means of rods to the eccentrics 3l on shaft 32. During the operation the screen 24 and shaft 32 are rotated by suitable means not shown. The concentrates Vfrom table 29 are deposited in the end'of the box l near the end member l and pass from thence underneath kthe rollers Where the pulp is subjected to agitation with the result that the fine gold comes into .contact with rough bark surface and adheres to it, while the pulp continues on ius/WayV and is finally dis- `charged at end 5 through the notch 7.

The operation of the machine is continued for some time and then as above explained the bark is removed from the bottom of the sluice box and from the roll and either n burned or subjected to a chemical treatment for the purpose of recovering the gold.

The use of rough bark in the manner above a box whose bottom is formed by rough bark and means for agitatingthe pulp in contact With the upper surface of said bottom.

2. An apparatus for separating gold from a pulp consisting of gold bearing sand and Water, comprising, incombination, a sluice box Whose bottom is provided with alining of roughtree bark so placed that the rough surface is on top, a plurality of rollers lecated above the barlr lining and means for rotating the rollers.

3. An apparatus ofthe class described comprising, in combination, a sluice box Whose bottom is provided with a lining comprising a pluralit)7 of sections ofrough tree barlr whose rough surfaces are uppermost, a plurality of rollers arranged in parallel relation above the bark lining, said rollers having their outer surfaces l.covered Withy rough tree bark Whose `iough surface is to the outside andv means for lrotating the rollers. Y

4. rn apparatus of the class described comprising, in combination, yan elongated sluice box having a bottom, spaced parallel sides and end members, a sheet metal cover-V ing for the upper surface of the bottom, a layer of coarse rough tree bark secured to the upper surface of the` bottom with the rough surface uppermost, a plurality of spaced parallel rollers extending transversely of the box, said rollers having a layer `of rough bark secured to their outer surfaces the rough surface of the barlr being' on the outside and means for rotating the rollers. n

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

GEORGE KETTLE.l 

